Johnny Shannon

Johnny Shannon was an English actor who entered the profession in his late thirties after working on London market stalls and as a night driver. Born in Lambeth, he had boxed as an amateur and later worked as a trainer, once serving in Henry Cooper's corner. He helped James Fox get ready for Performance (1970) by arranging practice bouts and reading lines to shape the accent, then won the part of crime boss Harry Flowers. Although that film drew mixed notices, reviewers singled out Shannon for bringing a new authenticity to the London gangster. He went on to appear in films such as The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle (1980), where he played a caged music executive, and Stoned (2005), as a landlord. On television he was bookie Wacky Waters in Beryl's Lot and took on different roles in Dixon of Dock Green, Minder, and other series. He died in 2017.